China on Monday launched major military exercises around Taiwan, deploying its army, navy, air force and artillery units as part of drills named “Justice Mission 2025.” The exercises come as Taiwan said it would defend its democracy and mobilised its forces to rehearse how to repel a possible Chinese attack.

China’s Eastern Theatre Command announced that the drills would include live-fire exercises scheduled for Tuesday. In its statement, the command released a graphic showing five zones around Taiwan where sea and air space restrictions would be imposed for 10 hours starting from 8 a.m. (0000 GMT).

This is the sixth major round of Chinese war games around Taiwan since 2022, when former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island. The latest drills also follow an increase in strong statements from Beijing regarding its territorial claims over Taiwan. These remarks intensified after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could lead to a military response from Japan.

The military exercises also come just 11 days after the United States announced $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, the largest weapons package ever approved for the island. The announcement drew strong objections from China’s defence ministry, which warned that the Chinese military would “take forceful measures” in response.

Analysts say that China’s drills are increasingly blurring the line between routine military training and preparations for a real attack. According to experts, this approach could allow Beijing to stage an assault with very little warning to the United States and its allies.

China’s military said it deployed fighter jets, bombers, unmanned aerial vehicles, and long-range rockets during the exercises. The drills will include practice strikes on mobile land-based targets and simulations of a coordinated attack on Taiwan from multiple directions.

“These drills serve as a serious warning to ‘Taiwan Independence’ separatist forces and external interference forces,” said Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Eastern Theatre Command.

Taiwan’s government strongly condemned the drills. A spokesperson from the presidential office urged China not to misjudge the situation and warned that such actions could undermine regional peace. The spokesperson also called on Beijing to immediately halt what they described as irresponsible provocations.

Taiwan’s defence ministry said that over the past 24 hours, two Chinese military aircraft and 11 ships were operating around the island. The ministry added that Taiwan’s armed forces were on high alert and ready to conduct “rapid response exercises.”

This drill is designed to allow Taiwan’s military to move troops quickly in case China suddenly turns military exercises into an actual attack.

“All members of our armed forces will remain highly vigilant and fully on guard, taking concrete action to defend the values of democracy and freedom,” the defence ministry said.

A senior Taiwanese security official told Reuters that dozens of Chinese military ships and aircraft were operating near Taiwan on Monday. Some of these vessels were “deliberately closing in” to Taiwan’s contiguous zone, which is defined as being 24 nautical miles from the island’s coast.

Taiwan’s coast guard said it had dispatched large patrol ships in response to Chinese coast guard activity near the island’s waters. It added that it was working closely with Taiwan’s military to minimise the impact of the drills on shipping routes and fishing areas.

Despite the military tensions, Taiwan’s stock market remained unaffected, rising 0.6% to a record high in morning trading.

“I think these drills are just meant to scare us,” said Lin Wei-ming, a 31-year-old teacher from Taipei. “Similar drills have happened before... the political side of things can only be handled by Taiwan’s current government and how they choose to respond.”

Taiwan rejects China’s sovereignty claims over the island, maintaining that only the people of Taiwan can decide its future.

China’s military also released two posters titled “Shields of Justice: Smashing Illusions” and “Arrows of Justice: Control and Denial,” along with a third graphic showing four locations across Taiwan with targets locked on.

China’s state broadcaster said the drills would focus on blocking access to Taiwan’s key deep-water ports, including Port of Keelung in the north and Kaohsiung in the south, the island’s largest port city.

Although the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) practised port blockades during war games last year, this is the first time China has publicly stated that its drills around Taiwan are aimed at “deterrence” of foreign military intervention.

Chinese messaging intensified after remarks made by Japan’s prime minister. Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. President Donald Trump in November that Taiwan’s “return to China” after World War Two was central to Beijing’s view of the global order.

One of the posters released by China appeared to show an armada of civilian ships being mobilised to support a potential attack on Taiwan. The image included vessels with ramps and open decks similar to those used in amphibious landings.

“Any foreign interference that touches the shield (of justice) shall perish!” the poster read. “Any separatist scoundrels who encounter the shield shall be destroyed!”

The second poster depicted flaming arrows raining down on Taiwan and striking green cartoon bugs. China frequently refers to Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te as a “parasite” and began using the green bug image to represent separatist forces during military drills held in April.

“I think their goal is, as they said, ‘keep the island, not the people,’” said Stephanie Huang, a 56-year-old interior designer. “They just want to save face by claiming Taiwan as part of their own country, but Taiwanese people don’t see it that way.”

“We are who we are; they are who they are.”